Strong Earthquake Hits North Italy (5/29/2012)

At least 15 people were killed and some 200 injured in a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in northern Italy on Tuesday, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The earthquake came nine days after a 6.0-magnitude quake in the same region killed seven people. Italian civil protection authorities confirmed at least 10 people had died and predicted the number would rise as rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble. Several people are missing, ANSA reported. Tuesday’s quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks. Italy’s Institute of Geology said the aftershocks measured 5.3 and 5.1 magnitude. The US Geological Survey recorded one aftershock of 5.6 magnitude just before 1 pm local time. Tuesday’s earthquake was centered in the province of Modena, near Bologna. The towns of Mirandola and Cavezzo were closest to the epicenter, civil protection authorities said. Second quake leaves Italians in shock MAP: ITALY EARTHQUAKEMAP: ITALY EARTHQUAKE Quake witness wants to leave Bologna Eyewitnesses reported on Twitter that Cavezzo was about 70% destroyed. Pictures purportedly from the town, as well as a video stream from Italian newspaper Corriere de la Serra, show a number of damaged buildings and some structures destroyed. The top of one church steeple was missing, and police tape was strung across several areas. “People are very scared. It’s been shaking nonstop for the past week,” said journalist Andrea Vogt, who was near the epicenter. “We don’t know how many are still trapped,” she told …